Two-Wheel Topics

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 16

Two-Wheel Topics

(By

R. O. DEW)

Record Year JAPANESE motor-cycle manufacturers are predicting further increases in their production figures this year. In 1969 they produced a record number of 2,576,873 machines —by the end of this year they hope to ha«e sold 3,300,000. More than half of last year’s total production—--1,298,866 machines—were exported, representing an increase of 14.3 per cent on the previous year. This was worth more than $200,000,000 to the Japanese.

The most popular markets for Japanese machines in 1969 were: North America (569,745 machines), SouthEast Asia (477,576), Europe (95,976) and the Middle East (44,433). Honda Largest

Although the Yamaha and Kawasaki factories enjoyed the greatest increases in production, Honda remained the largest motor-cycle manufacturer with an output of 1,534,882 machines. It has a sales target for 1970 of 2,000,000.

Yamaha had the next highest production figures for 1969 with 519,710 machines. This factory plans to increase its production to 650.000 this year. The Suzuki factory was the only one which did not set a new production record. However, it still produced the impressive total of 398.784 units. The reason given for its “failure” to set a production record was its concentration on manufacturing fourwheelers. A total of 102,406 machines were produced by Kawasaki last year. Bridgestone made 11,873. Tail-piece "It has been statisticallyproved that more motorcycle accidents are the fault of automobile drivers than the fault of the motor-cylists themselves. For this reason it is essential to practise the art of defensive riding" from Safe Sportcycling, a booklet on motorcycle safety published by Yamaha International Corporation, Montebello, California.